Ball-bearing connecting device for ropes or cables.



G. JOHN. G CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ROPES OR GABLES. APPLIOATION FILED 001'. 24, 1907.

BALL BEARIN Patented June 10, 1913.

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ruairnn srn rns "rarerrr @RFEQE GRIFFITH JOHN, 0F YONKERS, NEW YORK,

BAL'IEBEARING UONNECTING DEVICE FGR ROPES 0R CABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1913.

Application filed October 24, 1907.' Serial No. 398,931

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GIuFFrrH-JoHN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Yonkers, in the county of Westche'ster and State of New York, have invented a new andusefud Improvement in Ball-Bearing Connecting Devices for Ropes or Cables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an attaching device for ropes or cables,:'and is especially adapted for use with ropes or cables that are subjected to a twisting strain. 1

When a rope or cabledin which the strands are twisted into-spiral form issecured at one end and passes'over a rotating pulley, there is tendency for the rope or cable to twist, and the; continual twisting and un-.

twisting to which it is sometimes subjected reduces the life of the rope or cable and it is liable to break off close to its point of An object of this invention is to increase the life of a ropeor cable of this kind by providing a hitch or connection which will permit a free rotation of the rope,.and thus offer but little resistance to'its twisting and unt-wisting.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel combinations of elements being set forth inthe appended claims. Referring to the drawing, which 1s 'a. sectional elevation of a construction embodying my invention, 1 designates a rope or cable of any desired maternal, such as hemp, steel, iron, copper, brass, etc. This rope or cable is fastened ton beam or other member 2 by means of a thimble rod 3. The part 2 may be any stationary support to which the cable is secured, or it, may be a movable member or support, as, for example, the overhead beam of an elevator car frame to which the end of the hoisting cable is ordinarily secured, or a counterweight frame in an elevator system.

A tli imble or socket 4 integral in this instance with the thimble rod 3 serves as a 'l1olding device for the end or" the rope or cable 1. Ifthe cable be made of wire, it is preferred that the ends of the strands be untwisted or spread in the socket l and firmly secured by lead or solder.

. A sleeve 5 is mounted on the lower portion of the rod 3 and held in position by a nut 6 threaded onto the lower end of the rod 3. lhe purpose of-this sleeve is to prevent the supporting member 2,

avoided.

wear of the thimble rod on the cast iron blocker other permanent support 2.

Roller bearings and rollers are provided which in this instance comprise steelballs 7, a cage 8 in which the balls are supported and guided, an upper steel bearing plate 11, and a lower steel disk or hearing plate 9, which latter rests on, the flange 10 extending on the lowerend of the sleeve 5, Interposed between the roller bearings and the block 2 are what are generally called f conical or equalizing washers. These include a lower washer 12 resting on the plate 11 and having an upper convex surface, and an upper washer 13 whose lower surface is concave to fit the convex surface of washer l2. These surfaces are preferably of uniform curvature. If thepull on the cable 1 is at any time not exactly vertical or perpendicular to the bearing surface of the washer 12 will adapt itself so that the pressure on the ball bearings will always be evenly dis tributed'. Qlearances l4 and 15 are provided in thesupport 2 to permit free lateral movement of the thimble rod within predetermined limits. In the drawing I have shown an opening through the support 2 for therod 3, the greater portion of whichopening is conical to form-the clearance or recess 15 and the remainder is substantiallycylindrical to provide the clearance 14 for the up per portion of the sleeve 5.

Any twisting strain on the cable will be transmitted through the rod-3 and sleeve 5 to the bearing. plate 9 which rests on the bearing balls 7 and which will rotate freely. thereon in response to such twisting strain.

The twisting tension on the cable is thus .relieved and the twisting and untwisting of the cable and the consequent wear are I wish not to be limited to the exact construction disclosed, as various changes in details of construction-and arrangements of parts might be made by those skilled in the art without 'departin from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What-I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a supported member, of a rod extending through said member, a sleeve on the extended end of the rod, atflange formed on the outer end of the sleeve, bearing washers, bearing rollers between the Washers, and equalizing washers, said bearing Washers and equa1izing washers being mounted on the rod be- Eween the flange and said supported mem- 2'. In .a eomiecting deviee,.the combine tion of a supported member, a thimble rod extending through said member, a sleeve mounted on the extended end of the rod and extending between the rod and said member, a flange formed on the outer end of the sleeve, :1 nut threaded onto the rod and en gaging the flange, bearing Washers mounted bails between the on the sleeve, bearlng washers, and equal zing Washers mounted Copies of this patent may be obtained for on the sleeve between the supported memher and the bearing washers.

3. The combination with a rod, of beuring Washers mounted on the rod, bearing balls between the Washers, :t supported member, and equalizing washers mountedon the rod between the supported member and bearing washers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specifivation in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

Witnesses C. BLINN, T, XV. Ansel: Gunny.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, "D. G.

enirri'rrii JOHN. s 

